Method of producing smoke for curing meats.



R. J. GAUDY.

METHOD OF PRODUCING SMOKE FOR CURING MEATS.

APPLICATION FILED No'v. is. 1916.

Patented May 15, 1917.

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I; s ra'ras PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH J. GAUDY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF PRODUCING SMOKE FOR CURING- MEATS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented lay 15, 1917.

Application filed. November 16, 1916. Serial No. 131,669.

ous and uniform production of smoke with-' out ignition of thesmoke-producing material.

In the present state of the art. smoke is usually produced by imperfectcombustion of the smoke-producing material. It is difficult to controlcombustion so as to maintain uniform smoke production and the appara--tus employed requires attention. With my improved method and apparatusthe operation may be entirely automatic and without danger of ignitingthe smoke-producing material or variation in quantity of smoke produced.This is accomplished by the use of an electrical heating unitproportioned to limit the temperature below the ignition point, and bymeans for feeding the unit through the material for producing the smoke.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1. is a perspective View illustrating an electrical heating unitsuitable for use with my improved method;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the unit in use, for producing smoke.

A is a suitable container for the smoke and material to be treatedthereby. B is a pile of the smoke-producing material, such as sawdust.arranged in the base of the container, and C is an electrical heatingunit, preferably initially placed upon the top of the pile and fed bygravity through the same during the operation. The unit may be of anysuitable construction, but as specifically shown in Fig. 1, it comprisesa frame D having depending studs E thereon, with a resistor wire orribbon'F laced back and forth over said studs and suitably insulated.The resistor may be either exposed or armored, and the current may besupplied through a flexible conductor G.

With the construction as described in operation, when current is passedthrough the resistor the heat developed is sufficient to carbonize thematerial B and to produce the smoke, but the proportion is such as tolimit the temperature below the ignition point. Consequently thematerial will not be ignited, but as it is carbonized the weight of theframe F will cause downward feed, this continuing until the entire pileis consumed.

While I have described an apparatushaving a gravity feed, it .is obviousthalizany means of feeding the heaterthrough the material will beequally operative.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The method of producing smoke,comprising the electrical generation of heat limited in temperature toless than'requiredfor ignition of the smoke-producing material, and thesubjection of said material to said heat generation.

2. The method of producing smoke, com-- prising the electricalgeneration of, heat, limiting the temperature to less than the ignitionpoint of the smoke-producing material, and relatively feeding thematerial and electrical heat generator to produce a continuous anduniform smoke production. 3. The method of producing smoke, com

prising the passing of an electricalv current" I through a resistorproportioned to generate in said resistor heat limited in temperature toless than the ignition point of the smokeproducing material, and feedingsaid resistor through the smoke-producing material.

4. The method of producing smoke, comprising the passing of an electriccurrent through a resistor, placing said resistor on the top of a pileof smoke-producmgmatcrial, and feeding the same by gravity through saidpile.

5. The method of producing smoke, comprising the generation of heat in aheater, of a temperature less than the ignition point of thesmoke-producing material but sufliciently high to carbonize saidmaterial, placing, said heater on the top of a pile of smokeproducingmaterialand feeding the same by gravity through said pile.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

IiALPH J. GAUDY.

